Johnny Depp: From Teen Hearthrob to Lizard

I can still remember when his scene came up in A Nightmare on Elm Street. I had actually seen the film before and I knew what the scene was, but we had brought a newbie to the movie, on home video, and my friend had a warning. "If you don't like blood," he said, "don't watch." Just seconds later Johnny Depp got sucked into the bed he was laying on and was replaced by a giant spurting fountain of dark red blood that splashed across the ceiling.
That was how the world, or much of it, first saw the actor that seems to be in at least one big movie every year, Johnny Depp. It was the kind of start that many young actors have gotten, actually, as the teen slasher film was one of the best places, especially during the late 70s and early to mid-80s, to be seen. Depp's character was not on screen much, but there were many, including myself, who never forgot that scene. The giant fountain of blood tended to have that kind of effect.

Of course, I didn't really pay attention to who that actor was. However, just a couple of years later, a television show hit the airwaves. It was about a bunch of undercover cops who pretended to be high school kids to solve crimes. It was a silly premise, but it was packed with young and attractive stars. At the time many wondered who would be the breakout star on 21 Jump Street. Johnny Depp was a prime candidate as he was instantly popular, particularly among the ladies. There were many a teenage girls' door that ended up covered with a photo and poster of Depp.

It was obvious he had talent, but he had yet to really break through. He began seeking other roles and, smartly, he started small. For example, he had a blink-and-you'll-miss-it role at a soldier who can speak Vietnamese in Oliver Stone's Platoon. It was his teaming up with director Tim Burton that probably establishes his credibility and gave him his first starring role that would help make him an icon.

In 1990 he starred as the android with scissors where his hands should have been in Burton's Edward Scissorhands. It was also where he met and developed a relationship with Winona Ryder. Ryder would go on to star in many films of her own and snatch the headlines with her own personal demons. However, there are infamous stories of how Depp had Winona's name tattooed on his arm and, when the relationships ended, he had the tattoo covered over with additional ink.

Burton and Depp would team up several more times. He would show up again in Sleepy Hollow as an entirely different time of Ichabod Crane. Then he would show up as the director of the Worst Movie of All Time in Ed Wood. He would show up again as Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as directed by wood and voice the main character in Burton's animate feature Corpse Bride. He would prove he could sing as he starred in Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Then, he would portray the Mad Hatter in 2010's hit movie Alice in Wonderland.

Of course, his biggest hit, and the role that would define him for many was that of the pirate Captain Jack Sparrow. He starred in three Pirates of the Caribbean movies and is starring in the fourth installment. Now, he is a heartthrob all over again and many of the girls who swoon probably never once saw an episode of 21 Jump Street.

Now, Depp has continued his winning ways as the voice of the main character in the animated movie Rango. He also proves that he has a great sense of humor and that his acting skills go beyond his looks and ability to do a Keith Richards impression as a pirate. He also helps make the movie a lot of fun.

Is Rango a great movie? Probably not. However, it is delightfully refreshing to see an animated movie that isn't in 3D. It provides something that far too many animated movies seem to forget these days and that is that animated movies should be fun and they should show us things that live action could not.

Rango is a lizard. He actually has no name and lives in an aquarium where he pretends he is a great actor and performs plays with his aquarium toys. When that aquarium ends up smashed on a desert road and he has to fend for himself. He ends up in a tiny town called Dirt which is something right out of a spaghetti Western.

He turns to his acting skills and he becomes the town's hero. It is a town, as most towns in most Westerns are, in trouble. There is a shortage of water. The bank is running out of currency. There are hawks and other bad, bad men (well, animals) who want to do things to the hapless citizens. Rango steps up and gives them hope while striving for some redemption and purpose of his own.

It's a fun movie. Is it great? Probably not. Compared to the great films in the animated genre from the folks at Pixar, this isn't even close. It is also a movie not even remotely for kids. The bad guys are just too bad and too many of the jokes will go right over a kid's head. Some of the evil people are downright scary. So, how will an animated movie about a lizard do when it is made, mostly, for adults? Hopefully well as I would like to see more of them.

Depp is, as always, excellent. He manages to be an excellent voice actor. The movie was filmed uniquely as compared to most other animated movies. Most of the actors were in the studio together on this one, acting out the scenes. This helps the scenes carry greater weight, I feel. It was also directed by Gore Verbinski, who handled Depp in the Pirates movies. I like his attempts here, even if all of the jokes and scenes don't work as well as hoped.